Which rental minibus is right for you?
You might know which car to rent – but what about minibuses? Get to know our fleet in 5 minutes flat.
Do you know your three-door from your five-door? Or your Ford Puma from your Volkswagen Polo?
This is all good knowledge to have if you're navigating the world of cars. Unfortunately, it won't be much help if you're renting a minibus for the first time.
Minibuses are hardly alien technology. They have steering wheels, after all. And camshafts and crankshafts and brakes and tyres and all the rest.
But even if you subscribe to Auto Express, you'll probably need a little help getting to grips with the various makes and models of minibuses.
Fear not. We know minibuses like we've been renting them out for the last 22 years. Because, well, we have.
That's why we've put together this guide to the three minibus models that currently make up our fleet. If you're interested in
self-drive minibus hire in Newcastle, start here.
Note: the models listed in this article are available to hire as of November 2024. Bear in mind that these models are liable to change as we update our fleet. And, of course, it's all subject to availability – we can't promise that we'll have the specific model you need in stock. However, if the model you want isn't available, we'll do our best to provide the closest possible replacement.
Mercedes Benz Vito Tourer (nine seats)
The Mercedes Benz Vito Tourer is our nine-seater minibus. That means 10 seats in total – one for the driver and nine for passengers.
The Tourer is classed as an MPV van. MPV stands for "multi-purpose vehicle" and, as a category, includes cars like the Dacia Jogger, the Citroën Berlingo and the Volkswagen Touran.
Notice we said "cars". That's because the Tourer is basically a bus in a car's clothing. It's fairly nippy, very forgiving and barely longer than the average hatchback.
Don't worry, though. This isn't a budget airline situation – passengers won't be screaming for legroom. It's comfy without being cramped – and a great choice for first-time minibus drivers who don't need to ferry many passengers around.
You won't feel like you're hogging the road and, as the driver, your seating position won't feel too different to that of a common-or-garden car. Bonus: its relatively small size makes it fairly easy to park.
You'll be able to fit a decent amount in the boot, too. However, if you have more than nine passengers or loads of luggage, you'd be better off with the next size up.
Ford Transit (12 seats)
Are you going on holiday with your extended family? Or gathering a bunch of your best pals for the road trip of a lifetime? You might even be ferrying a women's Lacrosse team to their next game. (Believe us – it happens.)
If so, our mid-sized Ford Transit might be the minibus you've been waiting for. With 12 passenger seats, it's ideal for big-ish groups who want to travel together in comfort.
Make no mistake, though – this minibus is distinctly van-shaped. The clue's in the name: this is the classic Ford Transit van, except with passenger seats instead of cargo space.
But you won't be driving a monster. The 12-seater Ford Transit is the smallest model of its class, so it's still easy to get to grips with if you're used to driving cars.
To give you an idea of its size, the Transit is about 20% longer than a Ford Focus – and about 25% wider. It is, however, around 65% taller. (Yes – at this height, you have to start worrying about those "Max. headroom" signs.)
The trade-off is space and comfort. Sure, you'll be driving something a little bigger, but your passengers will be in a kind of plush, seat-belted paradise. Plus, you'll have plenty of room for luggage and other travel essentials.
Ford Transit (17 seats)
As the name suggests, this is the larger version of the Ford Transit minibus. It seats up to 17 passengers, so it's suitable for just about any trip and has loads of space for passengers and luggage.
Heck, you could fit the entire celebrity cast of
Strictly Come Dancing
on board and still have room for two more.
The 17-seat Transit is longer and taller than its 12-seat cousin. Ford has made judicious use of this space. As well as cramming in more seats, the manufacturer has added a handy set of luggage shelves, so you'll have even more space for your holiday gear.
Of course, this also means you'll be behind the wheel of a fairly big van. It should be more than manageable for the majority of experienced drivers – it's not for nought, after all, that most reviews of the Transit mention how easy it is to drive. However, if you're a little nervous about driving a large vehicle, you might be better off with a smaller minibus.
Another option: the Ford Transit crew van (5 seats)
Does this situation sound familiar?
You don't need many seats – barely more than a car, in fact. However, you know you need a tonne of space. Perhaps you're taking some friends on a surfing holiday and you need somewhere to store your boards. Or maybe you're taking a six-piece band on tour and don't want to spend the journey wedged against your equipment.
If you read that and thought, "Yes, that's me", then you don't need a minibus. You need a crew van.
A crew van gets its name from its popularity among "crews" of tradespeople. Plumbers, builders and other doers carry loads of equipment and materials but tend to work in fairly small groups.
Hence the crew van's unique design. It's essentially a van and a minibus in one. Up front, there are six seats (including one for the driver). And in the back, there's cargo space for tools, bricks, surfboards and stuff.
We stock the Ford Transit crew van – two versions of which made the Auto Express
list of the "best five-seat combi and crew vans to buy". With a commendation like that, you'll know you're in for a great drive. That includes you
and your crew.
MVH Rental has been serving the northeast with high-quality
minibus rentals since 2002. Ready for your road trip? Get in touch on (0191) 4888 700 for a quick, competitive quote.
